Owner of semi-sub company accused of fraud arrested trying to flee Oahu on boat
By Matthew Nuttle
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HONOLULU (KITV) — A Honolulu man at the center of a decade-long semi-submersible vessel scheme was arrested by US Marshals while trying to flee Oahu on his boat, Friday.
Curtiss Jackson, 71, was awaiting trial for federal charges for securities fraud, mail fraud, and wire fraud related to his company Semisub Inc.
Jackson and his wife, Jamey Denise Jackson, were charged in in October 2021. According to the US Department of Justice, the couple is accused of stealing over $28 million from hundreds of investors for their prototype vessel “Semisub One” that they was said to soon to be operational.
Jackson was originally arrested on Christmas Eve and released on pretrial release pending his trial date. On Jan. 4, US Pretrial Services received information that Jackson had planned to leave Oahu on his boat with enough cash and provisions to sustain himself at sea.
When officers went to Jackson’s boat at Kewalo Basin to make sure he was following the conditions of his release they found that Jackson and his boat were already gone. As a result, a federal arrest warrant was issued and Jackson was classified as a fugitive.
A BOLO was issued statewide for Jackson’s boat and crews with the US Marshals, US Coast Guard, and NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement all joined in the search by air and sea.
Around 2 a.m. on Jan. 6, information came in that Jackson was trying to re-dock in Oahu looking for help with issues he was having with his boat. Jackson was able to ake the repairs and set sail again, but US Marshals and the Coast Guard caught up to him around 7:30 a.m. just off the coast of Barbers Point.
Jackson was arrested and taken back to the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu pending a court appearance and further hearings.
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